Hawk’s Cave Trail is a short and easy loop trail located in Ferne Clyffe State Park, which is in Goreville, Illinois. The park and the trail are free to visit and hike. The trail features one of the largest natural shelters in the state of Illinois. Its rich history includes Native Americans, early settlers, and even an all-out battle to keep an old access road. If you haven’t visited and hiked the Hawk’s Cave Trail yet, you surely are missing out.
Hawk’s Cave Trail Stats
The Hawk’s Cave Trail is very easy to hike but does require some walking over rocky surfaces and a low climb over a rock.
This trail is not ADA-compliant.
The trail is a lollipop loop and is approximately 0.6 miles long. Most hikers will complete it in 15-30 minutes, depending on how long they decide to look around and take it all in.
The trail is lightly trafficked most days. However, during warm summer weekends and holidays, the trail can be fairly busy.
The total elevation is around 70 feet. While there are a few small hills, the trail isn’t very steep for the most part.
All Trails Link to this trail (Map and Trail Directions)
Directions to Hawk’s Cave Trail
Getting to Hawk’s Cave Trail is very easy.
Click this Google Maps Link for the best directions to Ferne Clyffe State Park and this trail from Interstate 57 in Marion, Illinois. If needed, you can input your location to finish the directions.
All roads leading to this trail are paved and in good condition. Any vehicle should be able to make this trip.
However, trail access may be restricted during snow and ice weather. Ferne Clyffe State Park is known to close and lock the gate of the main road to the main trails during snow and ice. The roads in the park are typically not treated until everywhere else in the county has been plowed. It’s best to visit this trail when there is no snow or ice on the ground.
Once you turn into the park (there is only one way in and out), drive until you reach the four-way intersection. Turn left. Drive down the hill, passing the Ferne Clyffe Lake on your left. Merge right at the Y. Drive until you reach the end and park in one of the parking spaces. Don’t park on the loop.
How to Hike the Hawk’s Cave Trail
If facing the loop, Hawk’s Cave Trailhead is on the left side. You’ll have to cross the creek to get to it. There are circular stepping stones to easily cross the creek. However, during the wettest days, the stepping stones may be underwater. You’ll need to wear waterproof boots to cross or shoes that you don’t mind getting wet.
Once you cross the creek, there will be three trailheads in front of you. Hawk’s Cave will be on your left. You should see the sign for it. The sign says the trail is 1 mile. This is incorrect. The trail is a little over a half mile in length.
The loop is best hiked clockwise.
If you hike clockwise, the first thing you’ll notice is the rich forest environment made up of hardwood trees such as Oak and Hickory. You might also see some pine trees. The pines are not native to Illinois. They were planted when the area was reforested in an effort to help mitigate the effects of erosion.
As you continue your hike, you’ll cross a very scenic creek using a bridge. If the area is wet, the creek is very pretty and makes for a nice photogenic moment.
Once you start hiking uphill, you’ll notice all the bluffs coming up. There is a really big boulder to your right, where you’ll start to hike a rocky portion of the trail.
Once you get over the rocky portion of the trail, you’ll see the large natural shelter in front of you. It’s a 150-foot-tall sandstone cave shelter. It is said to be either the largest or one of the largest cave shelters in the state of Illinois. It’s at least the largest on accessible public land.
If it’s fairly wet outside, you might get lucky enough to see the waterfall on the left of the shelter.
Have a good, thorough look around this area. There are a lot of boulders, cracks in the bluff, hideaways, and things to see. Please be sure to use caution, though. There are plenty of trip and fall hazards and the last thing you want is to get hurt out there on the trail.
As you continue down the trail, you’ll reach another shelter with a low “crawl space” under it. There is a cool boulder here with a hole all the way through it. If you look closely at the rock in the hole, you can tell where a tree branch was through it, making this rock a fossil.
This shelter has a very nice waterfall as well when the area is very wet.
As you walk past the second shelter, you’ll reach the start of the loop.
Photographers in this area will want to use wide-angle lenses to capture the large cave shelter in their shots. Cloudy days offer the best photogenic views of this feature.
A History of the Hawk’s Cave Trail
Hawk’s Cave might as well be the most significant historical aspect of the park.
In the earlier years of this area, it was said that Hawk’s Cave was used by Native Americans throughout the years until they were driven out by European settlers. It was also said that George Roger Clark camped under the natural shelter on his way to a surprise attack at Kaskaskia.
In 1899, two brothers from Cario, Illinois, bought the land that includes Hawk’s Cave and Big Rocky Hollow (the main waterfall trail). They called it Ferne Clyffe due to the ferns that grew around Hawk’s Cave and the cliff environments.
Fun fact: The park is called Ferne Clyffe. A common spelling would seem to be Fern Cliff. However, old English was used for the area’s initial naming, which made it Ferne Clyffe instead. That’s where the park gets its unusual spelling.
The area was sold to Emma Rebman in the 1900s. Emma was a local school teacher and also the superintendent of the Johnson County School System.
Emma opened the area as a park and charged 10 cents for admission, and tourism to the area grew very popular. Locals even charged for transportation from the Goreville Train Depot to the park.
In 1929, Emma tried to sell the park to the state. After some efforts from conservation organizations and the Greater Egypt Association, her 140 acres of land was acquired by the State of Illinois in 1949.
An annual fox hunt was held at Ferne Clyffe for several years. It was a four-day event that brought around 2,000 people to the celebration each year. The event included gospel music, square dancing, church services, food, and many different types of contests.
Up until the 1970s, the Boy Scout Trail used to be the only road into the park. The Illinois Department of Conservation (now IDNR) wanted to close the road and build a new one right out of town (which is where the entrance is now south of Goreville). However, this would make the citizens of Goreville feel that their park was being taken away. Protests occurred due to this, and eventually, members of the protest were arrested. The state relocated the road due to safety and ecological concerns. Eventually, it turned into a trail that is still popularly used today.
Today, Ferne Clyffe State Park has more than 2,500 acres. It contains multiple hiking trails, a nature preserve, a lake, camping, and areas where you can rock climb. The 160-mile River to River Trail passes through Ferne Clyffe State Park very close to Hawk’s Cave, too.
Special Rules and Safety Information
The following rules and safety information apply to Hawk’s Cave and the park as a whole:
- You must abide by the regulations of this state park
- Hawk’s Cave is for hiking only – No bicycles, rock climbing, or equestrian
- Motor vehicles of any kind are not allowed on any trails within the park
- This trail is for day use only
- You must notify IDNR of any commercial use or large groups
- Dangerous conditions exist in this area; please use caution
- Venomous copperhead snakes occur in this area
- Poison ivy and ticks occur in this area
- Please use extra caution around cliff tops as people have died from falls in this park
Other Stuff to do in the Area
There is plenty more to do around Hawk’s Cave and the Ferne Clyffe State Park Area.
Ferne Clyffe State Park offers additional easy to moderately rugged hiking trails, fishing, camping, rock climbing, and picnicking.
The Village of Goreville, just north of the park, has gas stations, a grocery store, a dollar store, Subway, and a really good pizza place called Whiffle Boy’s Pizza. I highly recommend trying their pizza and tell them Hiking with Shawn sent you.
For lodging in the area, there is electric, tent, and equestrian camping available at Ferne Clyffe State Park. Cedar Rock Cabins is right down from the park. Shawnee Trails Lodging and Suites is another great stay.
Visit Bork Falls nearby to see an amazing waterfall. This area is best visited when it has rained well for a few days. Please use caution as this area can be dangerous due to cliffs and slippery surfaces.
If you enjoy cycling, the Tunnel Hill Trailhead of the Tunnel Hill State Trail is also close by. The trail offers more than 45 miles of cycling opportunities.
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